One Last Chance To Reverse This Curse
by prettylittleamour
Summary: The girls are acting so strange. And they've got good reason. All it takes is one full moon to change their entire lives. Zikki/Clewis/Emmash. set after episode 17 of season two. (Why the number thing? idgi)
1. Life Before The Switch

Hey! We need more H2O: Just Add Water fics out there, so I'm making one! All you need to know about this one is it's set in the midst of season 2. So if you haven't seen season 2, this isn't really of use to you. Oh, okay fine. Since I really want you guys to read this, I will give you guys the lowdown. Charlotte is this evil new girlfriend(Yeah… Clewis broke up early in the season :( ) of Lewis's who later becomes a mermaid(but that's a different story) and tries to replace Cleo, Emma, and Rikki in Lewis's life and kind of has it out for them, especially Cleo, who used to date Lewis. Oh, and Ash is Emma's new bf. Sorry, no Byron in season two. And Zane is Rikki's ex-boyfriend who becomes current-boyfriend again in season two.

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Chapter 1. Life Before the Switch

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"Cleo, I just don't understand you." Rikki Chadwick sat at the same table at JuiceNet as her two best friends- Emma and Cleo, ranting on. "It's like you just sit back and let Charlotte take control over you and Lewis. If I were you, I would seriously consider-"

"Rikki! Please. It's a good thing you're not her then." An interruption came across the table from Emma Gilbert. "She has enough going on without you venting about your- oh wait, this isn't your problem, is it?"

"It isn't YOUR problem either, Emma." Rikki threw back.

"Guys! PLEASE!" Cleo Sertori finally raised her voice and moved them apart. They were walking along the beach towards JuiceNet when Cleo spotted Lewis and _her_ sharing a picnic across the bridge. The very big bridge. Too big for Cleo to eavesdrop. "Look, it's neither Emma's nor Rikki's problem, which, by the way, it isn't one, but even if it WERE, it is not your problem to discuss!" She finished. Rikki and Emma are both very stubborn, so it's pretty easy for them to butt heads sometimes.

Emma and Rikki looked at Cleo as if in shock mode. Emma managed to continue the conversation after recovering from Cleo's outburst. It wasn't often that Cleo yelled. Unless of course the anger was directed at Kim, her annoying little sister.

"You're right. We're sorry Cleo. We didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable. Right Rikki?" Emma, always the voice of reason, turned her head at the curly haired blonde on the other side of Cleo.

"Yeah. I guess." Rikki said.

Emma sighed at Rikki's nonchalant response.

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"Look. There they are again." Cleo Sertori noticed a certain maroon-red headed girl and a geeky looking guy zooming around the bay in the guy's boat. Lewis's boat. The boat Lewis and _Charlotte_ were in.

"Cleo, do your eyes just magically find their way to Lewis's date spots, or is this actually intended?" _I had to ask. I mean, isn't it every day she finds their whereabouts?_ Rikki(the speaker of that last sarcastic comment) was pretty disappointed in her jealous friend (even though Cleo wouldn't actually ever admit to her feelings about Charlotte). _Come on, Cleo. You spend all your time complaining about Charlotte and pining after Lewis, and yet you do nothing. You sit there and expect the Romance Fairy Godmother to make all your dreams come true._

_Okay, yes, I know I'm being harsh. But don't tell me you don't totally hate that redheaded jerk too._

"Of course not! It just so happens that Charlotte just knows all the places we like to hang out, so she is deliberately setting dates up with Lewis there just to get at me." Cleo said with a surprising note of confidence.

"You don't seriously believe that." _Because she seriously can't_, in Rikki's opinion. _I mean, that is going a bit too far._

"Rikki's right… sort of. Cleo, I'm sure Charlotte is not doing this on purpose. You _are_ overreacting just a tad." _Emma is so reasonable sometimes it kills me. It's like she never lets loose. Sorry, getting off track here._

"Overreacting? I am NOT overreacting. Look at that!" Cleo pointed her finger at them. They _were _being kind of indiscreet, and on the extra mushy side, or rather, Charlotte was, but still.

"She probably _just_ saw you, Cleo. She just started doing it to get at you. Face it, she does not stalk us looking for perfect date settings." Rikki said, pausing. "She's too busy stalking Lewis." She finished. Not long after, Emma's loyal best friend side kicked in and she flicked her hand at Rikki's arm.

"I suppose so…" Cleo trailed off.

"Look Cleo, if it bothers you so much, why don't you just be me for a while and give that chick a piece of your mind."

"Because I'm not you, Rikki. You may have the confidence- and rude manners - to do that. I however, do not." Cleo said, walking backwards until finally reaching the last block till the marine park was in view. "Look I'll see you guys later. I have to go to work."

"So, Rikki, you wanna go for a swim?" Emma turned towards her friend, noticing the same red and black converse sneakers that a certain someone gave her last month. A very certain someone, if you get my drift.

"Without Cleo? And besides, I've got plans." Rikki started backtracking towards the beach.

"Is it with I-know-who?"

"Ah ah ah- your own business minded please." Rikki said, fully knowing it _was_ with Em-knows-who.

"So it is then. Okay. But before you go meet I-know-who, stop grinning like an idiot, it's not attractive on you." Emma smirked before turning to leave.

"I do not grin like an idiot!" Rikki, acting offended, shouted after her.

"Check again. Later, gator."

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The water is so beautiful this time of day. I can't believe Rikki and Cleo aren't here. Cleo I understand, because I'm a working girl myself, but Rikki- well I can't talk now that I've got Ash.

Mmmm. Ash.

I know, I know. Now who's grinning like an idiot? Okay, stop, Emma. This ocean is not for going gaga over boyfriends. Boyfriend problems can be discussed/thought over at the moon pool, sometimes. But the ocean is for best friends and sea creatures.

Oh yeah, and, mermaids.

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So how'd you like it? As for my HSM and HM stories, those will be dead for a bit.

Support the WNMH2OFF Foundation!

(That's, We Need More H2O Fan Fics)

How? Well, read, review, share with your H2O loving friends!

Maddie

PS: I edited this chapter to be read as third person, except for the last chunk, because I thought that was better left alone.


	2. Curious, Curious Moon

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Chapter 2: Curious, Curious Moon

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"Here you go." Cleo was serving a small vanilla cone to a short brown haired kid that looked about eleven. Nothing important. Easiest job in the world, actually. Really stupid uniform though. She might as well as not have been wearing a uniform. It was mostly about the name tag; the other things were small details. The blue poly-cotton button down shirt was untucked out of her jeans. The navy blue hat with the park logo sat on top of her messy, curly, always pony-tailed brunette hair. Sometimes it was in a loose bun.

Cleo jumped when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Quickly facing whoever it was behind her, she recognized an old friend.

"Miss Chatham! Where have you been? It's been months! We've really been needing you. Do you know anything about getting new powers? I can blow things down now and Rikki can set things on fire and bring lighting and Emma can create blizzards! Do you believe that? Of course you do. You see, now, nobody else would believe that, but you have to. Is-"

"Cleo! Slow down, slow down." Miss Chatham chuckled lightly. "Another time, dear. But now I've come to warn you about tonight."

"Oh no. It's the moon isn't it?" Cleo felt her eyebrows crease with worry. What would happen this time? Actually, so much _had _happened. Was there anything the moon had left?

"Look, Miss Chatham, I appreciate the warning, but I'm not so sure I can be surprised anymore."

"Cleo… how have things been lately?"

Cleo winced. "Stressful. Emma and Rikki have been fighting even more than usual, which makes Emma even more uptight and Rikki even more defensive which makes Rikki get on my back about Charlotte-"

"Charlotte?" Miss Chatham tilted her head at the mention of an unfamiliar name.

"Different story. Anyways, it's been fizzling lately." Cleo's shift is ending soon, so she hoped this wouldn't take long.

"Yes, that happens. Most times it happens because people spend… too much time together."

"Yeah. I guess we have been getting a little sick of each other."

"Cleo, when things with friends get tough… well, just be careful." Miss Chatham said in closing, before disappearing once again.

Work is over, so Cleo took off the stupid hat and put it up before leaving for lunch at Emma's. After that they were going for a swim.

Maybe they did spend too much time together.

----------------------**Emma POV**----------------------

"You guys should have been there. It was _amazing_. I even went a little north and found some new fish." I was replaying yesterday's swim to Rikki and Cleo, the same swim I swam _alone_ at Mako Island. The water had been absolutely _beautiful_, the clearest, bluest, shiniest I had ever swam in in my entire life.

You know, when I think about how long I spent training to be a professional competitive swimmer, I get really down. But days when the water feels that good, and I remember that this happened for a reason, I realize I wouldn't give this up for anything. Not even being the best competitive swimmer in the world.

"Wait. Back up a second," Rikki stopped sharpie-ing her low-tops long enough to actually pay attention. "You went past Mako Island?"

**(Rikki POV)**

"Mmm hm. Why? It's not like there's a rule against it or something."

"Um yeah. There kind of is." I looked to Cleo for support, only to see Cleo shake her head warningly. I sighed. "Okay whatever. It's not an official rule. But, since when do you go off beyond Mako and leave us behind? Aren't things like that supposed to be done to-geth-er?" I pointed my index fingers out and whirled them in a circle collectively.

Whoa. Since when did Emma and I switch places? My God Rikki, you are becoming a loyal, responsible, control freak. Slow down.

"On second thought, you're right. Rules were made to be broken. Pass me the chips?" Emma just stared at me for a second before reluctantly giving me the nearby tortilla chips.

I must be going bipolar.

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Rikki suddenly found herself awake, after having been sleeping on the floor of Cleo's bedroom, cuddled up with her iPod pressing against her stomach. She sat up, walking towards the bathroom.

But the night had other plans.

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"Emma! Emma, wake up!" Cleo whispered, jostling Emma, who groaned at being awakened.

"Cleo! I was having dreams. Good dreams. What could possibly be wrong enough as to interrupt one of _those_?" _Jeez, _Cleo thought_. Emma_ _is cranky at night. _

"Depends if you count on one moonstruck Rikki being important." Cleo said, which made Emma shoot up like a pop tart in a toaster.

"What?" Emma looked around the room. She stood, noticing Rikki's empty heart patterned sleeping bag. Emma's heart grew nervously heavier, and she felt herself groan once again, this time at the realization that Rikki could be burning down Mako as we speak.

The next nanosecond, Emma and Cleo were foolishly heading out the door in search of Rikki.

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Done! So what'd you think? Did you like third person or POV better? I know I haven't really put in anything on couples yet, but I'm just trying to get this thing going.

Confer, discuss!  
Maddie


	3. Moon Spell

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Chapter 3. Moon Spell

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The immediate moment Emma and Cleo stepped outside, their thoughts were interrupted by a mysterious pull to admire the shining moon.

"Don't do it Emma. Keep your head low." Cleo said, but to no use, because the second they started to walk, they were entranced by the sight of the perfectly round full moon.

"_Mako. Mako. Come to Mako, Emma." The moon seemed to beckon to me. Almost as if it was caressing my thoughts. _

_Moon, you are so beautiful. _

Emma ran as fast as her swimmer's legs would assist her to. Cleo jumped giddily towards the water.

"_Cleo, isn't this fun! Come to the water Cleo! It's so shiny under my light. The water loves you, Cleo. The water doesn't shun you out like this world of land. Come to the water, where I am forever guiding you." The moon sang in Cleo's mind._

As if in distorted reality, the moon had taken over their minds with strange songs and words to lure them to the water.

**xXx**

Cleo awakened to the light of the sun, its rays shining through her window.

She sat up, stretching her arms to their full length.

_Hmm. Why am I in Emma's room? Oh, duh. You slept over, stupid. But… where's Emma?_

"Emma! Emma!" Cleo called out her friend's name.

Cleo got up off the bed - strange she was sleeping on the bed instead in of her sleeping bag - and walked around the hall, calling Emma's name.

_Maybe she's in the bathroom, _thought Cleo. She walked into the bathroom-

only to look into the mirror's reflection and see Emma's light blonde hair falling from her head.

Emma's head.

"Ahhhhh!" Cleo shrieked at the sight. Not that Emma was ugly or anything, but Emma certainly was not Cleo, and right now she didn't know why this fact was defying itself.

"What. Is. Going. On!?"

**xXx**

Rikki woke up at 11:07, Saturday being her favorite day to sleep in. She wasn't like Emma- who hopped out of bed every day sharp at seven AM.

_Like I could ever do _that_, _Rikki thought while warily rubbing her blurred eyes.

"What the-"

_I'm in Cleo's room. Why is that? _

"Cleo? Emma? Are you guys hiding or something?" Rikki got out of Cleo's bed and yelled a little louder this time, "Cleo! Cleo!"

She opened the beach-scene painted door and yelled again into the hallway. "Cleo! Where are you? Cleo!"

"You _are_ Cleo, stupid." Cleo's little sister Kim snidely remarked.

"_What _are you_ talking about, _shrimp?" Rikki glared at the annoying girl. Kim was so irritating. It's squeaks like her who made Rikki hate kids.

"Dad told you to stop calling me names! I'm telling!" Kim ran down the stairs.

_What is with her? She's never paid this much attention to me before. _

"Cleo! Would you come down here please!" Mr. Sertori's voice rang through the house.

Rikki ignored him, looking for Cleo, until tripping over a roller blade set lazily on the ground.

_Ugh. Kim. _Rikki tried to get up until feeling her knee hurting at the strain.

_That's weird. I don't remember getting a bruise there. _

_And I don't remember getting a tan. _

_Wait- that isn't even _my _knee. Or my shorts. _Rikki scanned her body, seeing all too many clear signs.

_I am in Cleo's body. Rikki Chadwick has gotten stuck inside Cleo Sertori's body. _

"Oh. My. God."

**xXx**

Emma woke up exactly at seven in the morning, as always.

_Hm. Why is it so dark? _

Emma got out of bed, only to stumble over a mountain of clothes sticking out from under the bed. She knelt down, picking up a few clothing items. _Wait a minute_. _This is Rikki's black shirt. And Rikki's army green capri's. And Rikki's grey camouflage mini skirt. _

She got up again, reaching to turn up the light. _I've never seen this room. This must be Rikki's though, _Emma thought, looking at the numerous posters of rock bands, piles of clothes, and random items sprawled across the floor.

_How did I get in _here_? _

Emma left Rikki's house, still in her pj's, hoping no one saw her on her outing to her own house.

"Hey, stranger!" Emma heard a voice behind her. _Oh, no. Please be talking to someone else, PLEASE be talking to someone else! _

_Strange- that sounded like… almost like…_

"Hey!" Emma finally turned around to see Zane approaching her.

"Hi. Zane." Emma winced. "What are you doing up at seven-thirty?"

"Ugh. Don't ask. Dad's new rule. He read online it's supposed to teach discipline or some junk like that. So, what are you doing tomorrow? Because I've got these tickets to a concert at the Jenns Center-"

"Zane. Why would you ask me?" Emma stopped to look at him confusedly.

Zane broke out in light laughter. "Yeah right, Rikki, real funny."

_Wait. Did he just call me Rikki? _

"Did you just call me Rikki?"

"Okay, Rikki joke's over. Seriously, it's a Spiderpox concert. Do you want to go?" Zane stopped to look at Emma with happy eyes.

_Spiderpox? I hate that band. _

"Spiderpox? I hate that band." Emma continued replaying her thoughts out loud.

"Aw, come on. Don't make me laugh; it's like your third favorite."

"No, it's Rikki's third fa-"

But Emma stopped when she saw her reflection in the salty ocean water.

In front of her, Emma had a look of horror realizing Rikki's figure reflecting off the water.

_Oh my gosh!_

"Oh my gosh!" Emma started hyperventilating until finally running away to jump in the ocean, leaving a stunned Zane behind her on the beach.

**xXx**

"Cleo, there's something really-"

"I'm not Cleo, I don't care if I _am_ in her body, I am still Rikki deep down." Rikki interrupted after picking up Cleo's phone and seeing her name on the caller ID.

"Rikki? You got switched too? You're Cleo now? So wait-" Emma started rambling until Rikki interrupted again.

"Okay, hold on. Just tell me straight, am I talking to Emma or Cleo here? Because as strange as it is hearing my own voice spoken to me, I'd prefer to know who I'm talking to."

"Oh, right, sorry. It's Emma." Emma smiled dumbly at herself for not realizing two things:

She obviously didn't sound like Emma, so she also obviously had to tell certain people she was.

She didn't expect Rikki's spirit to just wander did she? She knew Rikki had to go somewhere.

"Okay, thank you. Continue delusional ranting." Rikki smirked.

"This isn't funny. Your room is- well, it's- disgusting." Emma had flashbacks of the time Rikki came to live with Emma the week her parents were gone. It was basically mess haven with Rikki's various junk splattered in the bathroom, bedroom, living room, kitchen- you name it.

"Hey, I like my room just the way it is." Rikki sounded offended.

"Well, I don't." Emma huffed, already forming plans in her mind to organize her current living space.

"Oh no. Emma, don't you dare." Rikki knew exactly what was coming.

"Don't what?" Emma said innocently.

"I will say it again: I like my room just the way it is. Don't screw that up for me."

"Rikki, it's a pigsty. I can't be expected to live there the way it is." Emma let the words spill before immediately regretting them.

"Oh, so now I'm a pig. Is that it? And what, is my room to peasant-likely small that her majesty Emma 'can't be expected to live there'?" Rikki started to sound seriously mad.

"Rikki, I'm sorry, it just slipped out-" Emma felt awful.

"Forget it Emma. It's obvious my life isn't glamorous enough for you." Rikki said before clicking off Cleo's phone.

_Great. That went swell, don't you think? _Emma thought to herself.

"I hate you, you stupid moon!" Emma, still stuck in Rikki's body, screamed to the daylight sky. "As if all the past efforts of yours weren't enough, you just had to go all Freaky Friday on me!"

Emma knew she was making a fool of herself, shouting to nothing in particular. She didn't care though, even when a dog started barking viciously at her.

Okay, she did kind of care, because otherwise she wouldn't have yelled at it to shut up.

After the dog whined out of fear at Emma's comment, she jumped in the ocean for the second time today. There was only one place Rikki was sure to be whenever she wanted to be alone.

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And, conclude! Sorry it took longer than usual, but this was a long chapter with a bunch of explanatory points that I had to get out.

-Maddie


	4. Awkward

Warning: chapter contains Zikki fluff on Zane's side.

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Awkward

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**xXx **

"Hey Lewis. Ash." Zane greeted his semi-friends as he sat down, noticing the obvious silence that had suddenly taken place. "What? I don't bite. You guys know that. Hey listen- I've got a question for you. It's kind of awkward actually."

"Awkward? Like how?" Ash gulped up the last bit of his Banana Beat Box smoothie and slightly pushed it away from him.

"Well- have you guys ever been in love?" Zane's last input caused Lewis to choke on his coconut-mango juice and it caused Ash to chuckle in a small way, as if it was funny.

"Is this about Rikki?" Lewis got a suspicious look in his eyes, and you could tell he was feeling like a protective big brother.

Zane wanted to urge forward a 'duh' but he held back in a grimace. "Yes." He said simply.

"Whoa whoa whoa. Time out. You guys have been going out for almost five months – six, if you count that one month last spring, and you haven't even told her you love her yet?" Ash said.

"Yeah, it's kind of sad. I guess he's too busy spoiling Rikki with mountains of gifts." Lewis said, not long before Zane had given him a death glare. He was getting tired of being beat up about this.

"Lewis, shut up please. Ash, it may have been half a year but we kind of don't see each other that often. Besides, we're only seventeen." If Zane had been Lewis, or a girl, he might have mentioned that he fell in love with Rikki the minute he saw her, I mean really saw her. And he might have said in addition to that that he was just too scared to tell her, so instead he showered her with gifts.

He might have. But then again, Zane wasn't Lewis. Or a girl.

"No I'm serious, this is really important. Lewis, come on, you've known her longer than me. How should I tell her?" Zane looked at them with pleading eyes.

"Well, to be honest, if you want some advice in the romance department, ask Ash." Lewis threw his head at Ash, as if to point him out. "If you want help with the Rikki department, no one knows her better than Emma and Cleo." Lewis suggested.

"Hey. That's a good idea. Only- I'm not sure they'd take it so well. Emma hates me. Cleo's in the middle." Zane was surprised at Lewis's moment of advice glory.

"Yeah, but trust me, they'll help you. Emma owes Rikki one anyway for the time Rikki had schemed with Ash on the special gift basket they gave her on the day she won Employee of the Month. And Cleo's a romantic, and she's really nice. So she's a given." Lewis once again explained at a shining moment of glory.

"You're on a roll, Lewis." Zane said, impressed. "So… Ash… a source tells me you have a gift in romanticism. Care to offer some tips?"

"Sure, but I've actually gotta run. How about you talk to Emma and Cleo first, and then call me later with the turnout. Good luck, mate. See ya, Lewis." Ash said before running out the door of the JuiceNet café.

**xXx**

"Cleo?" Emma said, swimming up into the Moon Pool.

"Rikki?" Rikki mocked Emma's expression.

"Oh. Right. Sorry." Emma scolded herself silently. She hadn't been saying very smart things all day. "Rikki- I"

"Save it. I came here to be alone, if it wasn't already obvious enough for you." Rikki said, blatantly staring at the wall. Emma knew this tactic well. Whenever Rikki wanted to argue about the matter at hand, she would face you, usually with an angry essence. And when Rikki didn't want to fight about things, but rather, wanted you to understand her, she would face whatever was in front of her so you couldn't read her expression, which usually was hurt concealed by hateful words.

"Rikki, don't shut me out. I know what I said was wrong." Emma played with her thumbs, indicating nervousness.

"You forgot conceited, prissy, mean." Rikki continued to be difficult.

"You're right. Totally right. Look, I get where you're coming from. I'm sorry. I really just want us to be on speaking terms again." Emma finished. She smiled when she saw Rikki turn around to look at her.

She returned to a guilty face when she saw tears in Rikki's eyes.

"I know you didn't mean it. It's just that anything to do with where I live… where I come from… it gets me defensive, and whenever it comes up, it just makes me feel nervous." Rikki closed her eyes, as if picturing something. "That's why I didn't show you my house for so long."

"Well, above all else, you should know that no matter what, I'm always gonna be your friend." Emma smiled.

"Aww. I feel so left out." Emma screamed a short shriek whenever she heard her voice spoken to her.

"Oh. Cleo, it's you. Wooh. Don't ever do that again." Emma panted at the surprise.

"Oh, get over it, you big stressed out maniac. Rikki smiled and pulled her two best friends into a hug.

**xXx A new day… xXx**

Emma woke up exactly at seven, like always. She stared at the floor. It felt as if it was giving her a menacing look of dirty, cluttered evil. She reached down to pick up a shirt.

_Oh, NO! You leave the clothes alone._ She tripped three times before making it to the closet.

_Hmm. Red. Black. Red. Black. Ah, here we are. _Emma reached out to a dark blue hooded tank top and a pair of black capri pants. _It'll do, _Emma thought.

_Next on the agenda: breakfast. _

This might, just might be easier than she's have thought.

**xXx**

Cleo woke up at nine in the morning. She walked over to Emma's closet after taking a shower. _Hmm. Blue, blue and more blue._ Emma really was a fan of that color.

_This looks good. _Cleo pulled out a forest green tank top and plaid blue/green board shorts. _It'll do, _Cleo smiled.

Maybe she could do this after all.

**xXx**

Rikki, always the night owl, never the morning person, woke up at ten forty three. She almost threw up when she saw the listless amounts of pink in Cleo's closet.

She sighed in frustration. _Hold on- what's this? _Rikki walked up to a vibrant sky blue tee shirt with graphics spreading across the right upper left side. Pairing it with dark blue denim shorts was the finishing touch. _Hmm. It'll do. _

It's possible this isn't as bad as she thought it was.

**xXx**

"Hey, Emma!" Zane said, addressing what looked like Emma but was actually Cleo.

"Hey, Zane." The reluctance showed in her voice.

"Um, is Cleo here? I need to talk to her too." Zane scanned the area all around the marine park, where Cleo had automatically gone, since that's where her job _used_ to be, before the freak accident happened.

"Um, hello Zane. I'm-" Cleo stopped about to say _I'm Cleo_, but I think you know how well that would have gone.

I bet you're wondering why we're keeping this from Lewis and Zane. Well, you can just thank Rikki for that. She INSISTED on not telling them. She did have some valid points though.

_**Flashback**_

"_Um, hello. Do we even know if they'd believe us?" Rikki raised her eyebrows in defiance._

"_No, but we could _try_." Emma said, which annoyed Rikki. _

_Rikki sighed. "Okay, fine. I'm just gonna have you know, I am not on friendly terms with Lewis right now, so YOU are gonna be the one to tell him."_

"_Me? Why me? He's Cleo's friend." Emma snapped at Rikki._

"_Aren't you forgetting something? He's also her EX, for crying out loud. They haven't been able to have an honest conversation since the split." said Rikki with an edge of 'duh' in her voice._

"_Um, hi! I'm RIGHT HERE you know." Cleo splashed Rikki with the water filling the moon pool._

"_Sorry. I deserved that. But seriously, can't we just have some fun with this? I mean, it's not like we're in trouble." Rikki pointed out._

"_Rikki, you are talking to your own face here. That defines trouble to me. How about you Cleo?" Emma said._

"_Well, I'm not telling Lewis. Even if she did say it a little blunt, Rikki's right. We haven't been able to talk really openly since we broke up. I think we should just leave it. I mean, so far everything the moon has done to us has been temporary since we became mermaids, right? So I really don't want to bother with it." Cleo finished, swimming out of the moon pool._

"_You heard her. Two to one." Rikki smiled as she left the pool._

"_Seriously?" Emma said to herself, since both Rikki and Cleo had left. "Seriously. Well." She left in a huff._

_**End flashback**_

"I'm not sure where she is." Cleo said.

"Isn't that her, right over there?" Zane pointed to Rikki, unknowingly, of course.

"Um, no, that just looks like her. Really." Cleo's eyes got wide. She realized that whatever Zane wanted to say to her and "Emma" must have been about Rikki, and whatever he said _about_ Rikki he was actually saying _to _Rikki. Which I'm sure he wouldn't want to do.

"No, no I'm pretty sure that's her." Cleo's face clearly spelled dread as Zane ran up to Rikki, pulling her towards Cleo.

_This is going to be a disaster. I can just feel it._

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Well, there you go. I love this chapter, don't you?

Maddie


	5. If You Can't Stand The Heat

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If You Can't Stand The Heat(Or Ice/Weirdly Moving Water)…

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_**Earlier that day, 1:30…**_

After a couple of minutes of browsing the area of the JuiceNet Café's outdoor lounge complete with tables and a convenient outside-location mini juice bar, Rikki spotted them.

Her hands were twisting her hair, a smile giddily spread across her face. It made Rikki sick. But the one thing she did notice- she was obviously more into it than him. You could see he got distracted once he saw her coming towards him.

_This should be fun, _Rikki thought devilishly, already feeling the horns coming out.

"Hello Lewis." Rikki smiled as sweetly as she could. If she was going to make this work, she had to abandon all her standards of absolute cynicism and be as sweet as pie. At least towards Lewis. "Charlotte." Rikki rolled her eyes, and said Charlotte's name as if it was a contagious disease.

"Cleo, um, I'm kind of busy right now." Lewis said politely, always the gentleman.

"Oh, you don't mind if I have a bit of a girl talk with Charlotte do you? In private of course." Rikki's mood changed almost instantly. From coldhearted and disgusted to giddy and cutesy, she smiled at Charlotte as if she was her best friend since grade school.

"Um, no, I- I guess not..." Lewis said.

"Great!" Rikki beamed immediately after Lewis's sentence ended. Without wasting a second, she grabbed Charlotte's arm and pulled her away towards the entrance.

"Listen- Charlotte. I think it's so cute how you're chasing after Lewis like this. Even though he's clearly not chasing after you, you still make an effort." Rikki continued spurting backhanded compliments. "But let's face it; it's never gonna last, right? I certainly don't know why Lewis doesn't just tell you that he's still in love with me, and I definitely don't know why he isn't interested in you. I mean, you're not even _that_ annoying." Rikki smiled sweetly.

"What are you talking about? He's crazy about me." Charlotte said surely.

"Really? Okay, so you wouldn't mind if we tested out that theory." said Rikki, a mischievous smirk already spreading across her face.

"What do you mean?" Charlotte's face wore a mix of curiosity with nervousness.

"Just watch." Rikki's lemon sweetness finally dropped as she raised one eyebrow challengingly and walked, or more like strutted, back over to Lewis.

"Cleo, what are you doing?" Charlotte drew out the sentence in a careful manner.

Lewis looked extremely uneasy, yet, entranced as Rikki looked into his eyes with mystical and enchanted deviousness.

_I'm so gonna hate this. _Rikki closed her eyes and tried to picture Zane in Lewis's place.

Then without another thought or word, she kissed him, right on the lips. Lewis started passionately kissing back as Charlotte looked on, her eyes widened with a strange cross of worry and rage.

"Bye, Lewis." Rikki didn't even bother to bid goodbye to Charlotte as she flounced off, listening to the almost immediate break out of screams and accusations.

_Cleo, I always knew you had power over Lewis, I just didn't know it would work this good._

**xXx **_**3:00, JuiceNet Café**_

Emma came in and saw Ash, grinning hugely. He was suavely tossing around the juices, making the girls giggle and the guys smile coolly, laughing in that secret and strange guy language.

She stopped grinning when the realization struck her that she couldn't run up and hug him sweetly, as she always did when entering the juice bar.

Because now she was Rikki. And like it or not, she wasn't allowed to kiss Ash. What's worse, now she had to be nice to Zane, who she despised with all her being. Even though he adored Rikki and was a hell of a lot nicer to her than to the rest of the world, and he was technically semi friendly to Emma and Cleo because of the whole girlfriend's best friend unwritten policy, he was still Zane.

But as Emma watched Ash scurry around the café flawlessly, she noticed it was almost the end of his shift. Why wasn't he readying to leave? Ah, yes, there. She kept her eyes on him as he headed to the staff bathrooms, probably wanting to change into something more suitable for…

_Oh my God!_ Emma widened her eyes at the thoughts rushing into her head. Ash and she were supposed to have a date an hour from now. And Cleo was so blatantly unaware of that fact. And if Ash showed up at her house, finding "Emma" in her lounge-around-the-house-clothes, he might think she forgot. Or worse, what if "Emma" was out, and he thought she stood him up? The possibilities rolled on in her head.

Those thoughts faded out as she saw Ash sit down next to Lewis, who was looking rather confused. She watched as Ash listened to whatever was getting Lewis all riled up. _Guy talk_, Emma guessed.

_Uh oh_, Emma thought when she saw Zane walk through the beaded curtain doorway of the JuiceNet, scanning the room, with an obvious _I'm-looking-for-someone _face. _He probably wants to talk to Rikki. You, _she realized. _Yugh. Maybe I can hide somewhere. _

Emma's only choice was kneeling behind the back of Lewis and Ash's booth. Not the best option, but she really wasn't in the mood to talk to him- really, anyone, for that matter. At least not as Rikki.

But she was extremely confused as Zane looked at Ash and Lewis's table with satisfaction.

Her perplexed expression grew stronger as he sat at the same booth seat she was crouching behind, giving her a perfect ear of both sides of the conversation.

She strained closer, and stifled a giggle, when the poor bloke mentioned something about being in love.

Emma kept waiting for her conscience to kick in and remind her that eavesdropping was wrong, and to tell her that she should just leave while she could. Yet strangely, it never did. She tried to lie to herself and told her that it was because she didn't want to be seen by the guys crawling out behind a booth; their booth. But what frightened her was the possibility that she didn't want to. Even more scary was the fact that she had no idea what that meant. So without a shamed care in the world, she listened intently.

She heard Ash say some stuff about Rikki and Zane's relationship timeline, and then got slightly disappointed when Ash never actually answered Zane's question. Neither did Lewis, which on the dim side maybe meant that he either forgot about Cleo or was too shy to talk about her, and on the bright side was not as lovey-dovey towards Charlotte as it was vice versa.

"Yeah, it's kind of sad. I guess he's too busy spoiling Rikki with mountains of gifts." Emma heard Lewis say. She probably would have died of exploding with laughter, especially when she heard silence, probably because Lewis had backed off sheepishly after Zane had in some way warned him, if she hadn't heard Zane say something about telling "her", which, Emma guessed, meant Rikki.

Which, in return, meant her. _Oh, God. Someone up there must be laughing real hard at this sick and twisted situation right now, _she thought sarcastically.

Hold on. Did Lewis actually just give advice? And did Zane actually follow it with the words "good idea?" Wow.

Wait, wait. Was that the words "Emma" and "Cleo" mentioned? What were they saying about her? And… Cleo… of course.

"Only- I'm not sure they'd take it so well. Emma hates me. Cleo's in the middle." Emma heard Zane say.

"Yeah, but trust me, they'll help you. Emma owes Rikki one anyway for the time Rikki had schemed with Ash on the special gift basket they gave her on the day she won Employee of the Month. And Cleo's a romantic, and she's really nice. So she's a given." Lewis had said. _Rats. Curse the rule of payback. _

Too bad Emma was too wrapped up in her own thinking to realize that Zane wasn't going to tell her and Cleo, she'd be telling RIKKI and Cleo.

At least until three seconds later, whenever she stopped thinking and started listening again.

"Sure, but I've actually gotta run. How about you talk to Emma and Cleo first, and then call me later with the turnout. Good luck, mate. See ya, Lewis." Ash said, waving his goodbye.

_That's my cue! _Emma backed away from the booth slowly, still crouching down below of course, and noticed the ladies' bathroom conveniently located behind her.

Once inside, she called Ash on his cell.

"Um, hi, this is Rikki. You know, Emma's friend. She asked me to call and tell her she can't make it and she's really really sorry. Like, really really sorry. I- I mean she, really cares about you. Bye." Emma ended the call, and then practically ran out the bathroom and past the entrance, almost sprinting. Almost as if she was in a hurry.

**xXx 3:15, The Marine Park**

"Hey, Cleo! Come over here, I have something to talk about with you and Emma."

_I'm not Cleo, you idiot! I' m Rikki, RIKKI!_ Rikki felt like screaming. She was very happy to see him, especially after kissing… _Lewis. _She had practically washed her mouth with soap. It's not that he was repulsive or anything, it was just… so… weird.

"Look, I know this may seem really uncomfortable, and I know you may not want to help me." Zane said.

"Help you? About what?" Rikki was suddenly very curious.

"It's about Rikki." Zane looked at "Emma", almost as if pleading for acceptance. Quite sad, actually. It made Cleo, who was actually Emma at the time, want to shed a small sappy tear.

"Really." Rikki looked at Zane intensely. She was definitely getting very interested in the topic.

"Well, I wanted help, because I want to know, if I was going to tell her-"

"Wait! STOP!" Emma ran as fast as she could towards Rikki and Cleo, interrupting Zane at just the right moment.

The three looked at the sprinting "Rikki" curiously. This of course, made Zane stop talking completely.

"Cleo, Ri- Emma, we need to leave. _Now_." Emma looked at her friends, begging for them to just trust her and to go quietly.

"But Cleo's- I mean, my job starts in five minutes." Rikki said.

"No, Rikki's right. We should go." Cleo said.

"But I'll get fired." Rikki gritted her teeth at Cleo. Cleo suddenly looked very indecisive and couldn't decide to lose her job or keep Rikki from ruining whatever Zane was gonna shower her with next.

_Err… dang. Dangity dang dang._

"Good, then let me escort you to the office to get your uniform." Rikki looked like a little kid just being told 'no' to ice cream as Emma dragged her away.

**xXx **

After Cleo went to Mrs. Geddes's office to um, how should I put this, lie about a funeral and why she wouldn't be in for the day, all three mermaids returned to Emma's house.

"This is getting really serious. We're getting so tangled up in each other's business I can't even think straight." Emma collapsed on her bed, looking miserable as ever stuck being Rikki.

Rikki herself, was very very upset. She was dying to know so much what Zane was going to say. She couldn't stop thinking about it. Joining Em in her misery, she too fell back on Emma's bed, staring at the ceiling.

"Oh, come on. It's not that bad." Cleo sighed.

"Your optimism is really getting to me." said Rikki.

"Hm. Maybe you're right. Maybe we should just get Lewis to help us out." Cleo started to reach for her cell phone.

Rikki's eyes widened. Jumping up as fast as you can say "uh-oh", she snatched the phone away.

"Cleo. No. We can handle this on our own."

"We can?" Emma frowned curiously. She had already done more than enough of her share of sunshiny perfection.

"Yes. We can. Without Lewis. Don't you ever get tired of always enlisting his help anyways? Show some girl power for a change. Retire that damsel's dress." Rikki said.

Cleo wasn't one to take challenges. She also was not one to course things all by herself. But this time, she decided Rikki was right.

"Wait… what's the first step of girl power?" Emma would usually be the first to know, but she had gone unusually delusional from exhaustion.

"I say we start with our powers." Rikki instructed. "If we changed faces, I'll bet we changed powers too." She demonstrated by trying to heat up the cup of water resting on Cleo's desk. She concentrated on the cup, bending her fingers slowly into forming a fist. The water froze.

"That doesn't make sense. That's my power… but you're in Cleo's body." Emma finished.

"It's like we switched pieces of ourselves, not our complete selves. I wonder…" Cleo outstretched her arm towards the same water Rikki froze. She cupped her hand, spreading her fingers apart, and twisted it in a circle, making steam emerge from the surface.

"Nice." Rikki said.

"I guess now it's my turn." Emma reluctantly flattened her palm towards the plastic cup, trying to make the water move towards her. She didn't succeed at first, but at the second go she caused the water to slowly move out of the cup and in a ball shape in front of her.

"Wow. I never did it that fast." Cleo said.

"Eh, you make fire hydrants explode. I practice the delicate art of water balling." Emma smiled and shot the ball at Rikki.

"Hey! No fair!" Rikki threw a pillow at Emma. She didn't need water control to fight back.

"You guys! What if we break something- ah!" Cleo felt a pillow thump hit the back of her knees. Rikki and Emma had gone a little over enthusiastic and now were both in mermaid form.

"Oh boy." Cleo said, but not in a worried way. She just giggled as the pillow/water power fight went on.

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It seems to me it was a bit confusing in parts, but meh, I can never tell.

Maddie.


	6. Breaking Point

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6. Breaking Point

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Emma awakened the next morning feeling slightly better. Then, of course, she realized it was the third day of living in Rikki-isdom. Running her fingers through her once straight hair, she thought herself as less an intruder now and more of a visitor. Hey, anything could happen.

**xXx**

Cleo, of all optimists in the world, had decided to today be a pessimist. She was tired of this. As said before, she thought nothing wrong of Emma, but she felt most comfortable with herself, and her parents, and maybe even her sibling.

Because Mr. Perfectionist Elliot always telling her, "No, it's done this way" was getting seriously annoying.

**xXx**

Rikki wanted home. She never let it show, but she was the most disturbed by this out of all of them. She wanted to be held again, not by Ash, but by her own beloved. The way she missed him was hopeful and terrible and amazing all at the same time. She knew one thing; she knew she needed Zane. And to need someone scared her. But it was a beautiful kind of scared.

**xXx**

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY EMMA!!!"

"AH!" Cleo almost fell out of the bed when three smiling cheery faces burst through the door.

Mr. Gilbert swiftly pushed open the curtains which were already blocking the intrusive sunlight, making Cleo groan in dismay.

She quickly plopped her head back on her pillow in protest.

"What time is it?" Cleo said, although in her just-woken-up state, it sounded slightly creaky.

"It's only 6:30." Elliot told her nonchalantly. Yeah, only. That's no problem whatsoever.

Cleo let another groan escape herself. It kind of sucked to live with the perfect family. She was almost starting to side with Rikki. Almost.

She tried a different approach, since her polite although dense company had obviously missed her reproach to this hour of the morning. "Um. Right. Well, it's Saturday. Don't you think I could sleep in?"

"No can do. I've got a surprise for you in a couple of hours. By the time you get back from your morning run and get ready, I have to take you somewhere." Mrs. Gilbert said, again, annoyingly cheery.

Cleo didn't very much like the sound of that, just like she didn't like surprises.

She decided to wallow in her self pity again. Pulling the covers over her head, she tried to drift back to sleep.

_Wait. Did she say RUN?_

**xXx**

_I'm not alright._

_I'm broken inside_

_Broken inside…_

_I'm not alright._

_I'm not alright._

_I'm not alright._

She was ready to break down. She didn't mind if her friends hated her for it, not that they didn't have a right to because they stuck this out longer without help because of her.

They'd hate it even more if she went to Zane before Lewis. But how could she face Lewis? After what she'd done, it's definitely now more awkward than ever.

No. She wouldn't do it. She'd argue with herself to insanity if she had to. She wouldn't be the one to give in. She wasn't the type. Freedom is a give and take. It has to be earned. Those irresponsible should not practice it.

And in her darkest moment of realization, she realized she had become one of those people.

**xXx**

Cleo exited the house at seven. She thought, but knew it was too early to go anywhere with company. No, she had decided to give herself time to explore and think.

Maybe good had come out of this after all. Maybe she was finally learning to stand alone.

It's especially appropriate at a time where all she felt was alone.

**xXx **

It was almost nine when Rikki heard the bell ring on the Sertori's front door. At the time, she had been arguing with herself inside her head, torturously staring at the untouched glass of orange juice in front of her. Kind of sad, really.

She was so distraught that when the doorbell rang, she actually jumped a little. _I hate this. So much. _Rikki thought to herself.

After a second ring had gone through and she realized that even though she hadn't been able to get any sleep at all last night, the rest of the family was still enjoying a peaceful and dreamy slumber. Lazily, she stumbled up to the front door, not even caring that she had A) pajamas on B) no makeup and C) not had a shower or brushed her teeth yet.

She could only think two words when she saw who was at the door.

_Oh. Crap_.

**xXx**

Since it was nine, Cleo decided she could return back to the house from her "run" (which actually just consisted of her floating around near Mako to pass the time, while she was still half sleeping). When she got back, Mrs. Gilbert reminded her of her birthday surprise.

_Kind of funny. Its not my birthday, but I get presents anyway. Heh. _

"Now, since its your birthday, I thought we could do something special together, as a mother-daughter bonding experience." Mrs. Gilbert said. It would've made Cleo laugh at no matter how much kids hate parent-child togetherness activities, moms and dads just don't get it. It would've, but then she remembered that this was happening to _her_.

"Mother-daughter bonding experience?" Cleo repeated.

"Mhm. Doesn't that sound fun?" Mrs. Gilbert asked.

_No, not really,_ Cleo said in her head. "Um, sure. What did you have in mind?"

"Well, since we've both been under a little stress lately, I thought it would be a PERFECT day for getting our hair done! Kind of like a spa treatment thing!" Emma's mom had the scariest happy grin on her face.

To put it short, Cleo was horrified. Absolutely horrified.

But, she also knew she had better put up with it. After all, she was not one for confrontation.

_**Later…**_

"I think I'll go blonde! Won't that look nice?" Mrs. Gilbert asked who she thought was her daughter.

"Uhhh…. Its whatever you want, mum." Cleo tried to sound like a daughter. She hated spoiling things.

Cleo was in the middle of picking out a highlight color. She knew Emma would go nuts if she did anything too drastic, but she thought maybe some dark brown lowlights would really compliment the blonde in Emma's hair.

_**Even later-er…..**_

"Okay, follow me over to the sinks." The stylist had instructed Cleo.

"Um… the sinks? Why?" Cleo asked nervously.

"To shampoo your hair silly!" The stylist laughed like it was the most naïve question she'd ever heard.

"Oh, no no no, you see, I really can't do that-" Cleo tried to move away, but the stylist pushed her into the chair and sprayed her head with water.

Panicking, she shot up in the chair. Her eyes darted around the room looking for the exit. The entire world seemed to slow down. Finally, she spotted a door leading out to the open road. She knew she didn't have much time left.

The pressure began to break inside of her, and the firey tears started falling down as her world seemed to collapse in front of her.

She didn't know where she was; all she saw was the piece of ocean in front of her that seemed a million miles away. She kept running, running…… and she fell short of the water just before reaching the tide. The beautiful shining tail never looked so traitorous as it did now. Cleo was crying, and the pain inside of her that had been building itself up suddenly had been released. Now there was nothing to do but wait, in her sea of tears. In her sea of pain. In her sea of regret.

**xXx**

"Hey… Lewis. Can I help you?" Rikki forced out the awkward words.

"Cleo. I miss you. And I want to know why you ever dumped me in the first place if you were still feeling all _that_. I could feel it, you know. Your lips were sending that message pretty clearly." Lewis looked a little mad.

"I can't speak for her. I really can't. All you should know is this Charlotte thing is making her crazy. And that she wants you back. She is in such a sad state of denial its painful to watch." Rikki said through a state of delusion.

"Why do you keep saying her? And she?" Lewis said.

"When did I say her?" Rikki suddenly forgot how she had been stating her words.

"The whole time, it was her, she. What's going on, Cleo?" Lewis looked very confused.

"I'm sorry. I can't even answer that. And that's the truth. Goodbye Lewis." Rikki said, closing the door.

**xXx**

Finally out of mermaid form, Cleo was not sure what to do. Where to go. She knew she'd have to explain why she ran out if she went "home". And she didn't want to see one familiar face right now. It was too hard to be reminded of how it used to be.

And in that moment of doubt, she did the stupidest thing she probably would ever do.

But it was also the moment that saved her.

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Ta-da!!! (ooh, cliff hanger!)

Maddie


	7. The Dream

PS: in case you're feeling lost-

Rikki is trapped inside Cleo's body,

Emma is inside of Rikki's,

and Cleo is inside of Emma's.

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The Dream

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She loved watching the water slowly ripple, up, down, in, out. The waves were what calmed her. True, she'd never been a surfer, but she knew she was meant to be a mermaid.

What sucked is now every time she looked at water, she would not see herself. She would see a different person. She would see the color of hair that wasn't her own. It was much darker, although the curly texture remained the same. She would see the unfamiliar brown eyes as opposed to her icy blues.

Rikki Chadwick was losing all hope of ever being herself again. Yeah, it sucked.

**xXx**

Running. She kept running. Her bare feet pounded the sand of the coastline, one hand carrying Emma's shoes and the other wiping away tears that just wouldn't stop coming.

She didn't know where she was going. All that mattered to her was it was a place, far, far away. Her mind seemed to be so busy and out of whack that she never considered just jumping in the water and swimming until she couldn't anymore.

**xXx**

Lewis was watching a documentary on fishing, because he's exciting like that, when he heard the doorbell ring. Quickly he got up to open the door and see a surprising face.

**xXx**

"Zane Bennett. What on earth could possibly compel you to talk to me? Other than romantic advice." Lewis silently chuckled at his own joke. Even though no one else would have…

"Good to see you too Lewis. Look, there is a reason I came by. I needed to talk to you about something that's concerning me.

Admittedly, Lewis was wondering what on earth could concern Mr. Spoiled Rich Kid. But once he saw the look on Zane's face, he decided not to say anything about it.

"It's about Rikki. Well, actually, not just her."

**xXx **

Cleo could hardly breathe after running so far, and so long, and so hard. So it was almost expected when she collapsed.

**xXx**

She looked at her watch. _Got to get back to work soon…_ but for now she just enjoyed her walk.

Well, she was enjoying it. Until she saw what she saw.

**xXx**

"And what is it about Rikki this time?" Lewis asked skeptically.

"Don't be like that, okay? This is serious. Haven't you noticed anything strange with them lately?" Zane said.

"Them being Cleo, Rikki, and Emma." Lewis said. _Well, other than the fact that Cleo kissed me, no, not at all!_ he thought.

"Yeah. I've been around them a few times and they've just been acting really weird. Are you saying you haven't noticed it?" Zane's brow furrowed a little.

"Now that you mention it, yeah, things have been a little off center. But seriously, there girls, Zane, they are weird by nature." Lewis shrugged it off.

"Lewis, I'm serious. This is-"

But at that moment, Lewis held his finger up because his phone was ringing.

**xXx**

The woman was frantic. The body of the blonde girl was below her. She wasn't sure how long she had been passed out. She reached into the girl's pocket to see what was bulging, hoping it was a wallet to identify her.

A phone. That was even better. She searched through the speed dials, trying the first few. The first didn't answer, and neither did the second. The third was still ringing.

"Come on, come on…" The woman tried not to look at the unconscious girl that was drenched in sweat.

**xXx **

"Urggh! Where is my phone?" Lewis was getting aggravated. He had been searching frantically for a few seconds.

"Um, Lewis… it's in your back pocket." Zane pointed out.

"Oh. So it is. Thanks." He pulled it out and sat back down on the sofa.

"I don't recognize this number…." It was almost done ringing.

"Hello?" Lewis said.

**xXx**

Rikki was on the phone with Emma, surprise, arguing. Rikki wanted to ask for help but Emma said it couldn't be Lewis unless they asked Cleo first. Rikki said it didn't matter, they weren't an item anymore. Emma argued that that was exactly the point.

Rikki scoffed. "Cleo's a big girl, she can handle it."

"Rikki! Can you at least try to consider her feelings?" Emma said.

"Yeah? Well what about mine? Don't those matter anymore? I'm sick of this Emma! I.. I can't… I can't do this anymore!" Rikki was sobbing. Emma stopped yelling, because she knew the rarity of Rikki crying. It only happened at the very worst times of her life. Only certain things could trigger it. "Cleo's parents are crazy! And worse, Zane doesn't even look at me anymore. He looks at you, though! I hate it! I can't do it anymore!"

Emma was silent as she listened to the sobs and sniffles from the other line. She knew what it was like. She missed Ash. And she missed herself.

**xXx**

"Thank God! Listen, I don't know who you are, but you're on this girl's speed dial. I don't know her name, but she's unconscious and covered in sweat. I don't know how long she's been out."

When the voice on the other line, she assumed it was a boy, asked her where she was, she could tell her answer gave him shock.

**xXx **

Beautiful. Absolutely stunning, in fact. There were crazy gorgeous things around her. Floating clouds of the purest white. The happiest smiles she'd ever seen. She felt comfort.

But then the clouds went black. Suddenly, the people in her dream- Rikki, Emma and herself, she realized- started disappearing as well.

One by one, scenes of the her and her closest friends flashed all around her. First, it was Rikki. What was she doing? Oh… she was crying. She was crying in a bathroom. What did she have? Was she… breaking a razor?

The horrible feelings she felt would not let go of her.

Next, she saw Emma. That was Emma, wasn't it? But… she was in Cleo's house. Hugging Cleo's parents. Wearing Cleo's clothes. Slowly, Emma morphed into Cleo before her eyes…. Actually, it seemed she spent her whole life morphing, adjusting. A new scene took place. It was a graveyard. It said "R.I.P." but there was no name. No identity. But there _were_ two necklaces, one with a white stone, and one with a blue stone.

Had she had the strength to wake up, she would have screamed.

Next she saw Lewis. He was- whoa. He was crying. She'd never seen him cry. He was writing too. She didn't know he wrote. It seemed like her vision was zooming in on Lewis's notebook. All she saw was her name, etched over and over again. Wait. There was something wrong. Lewis looked older.

It made sense when someone with maroon colored hair came into the room and slipped into the spot on the double bed next to him. Charlotte. Lewis. In how many years?

Lewis quickly shoved the notebook under the bed.

Cleo wanted to wake up now. But she didn't know how to make the images stop.

They kept coming, faster and faster. Ghosts of her future.

She was scared.

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that's it for now!

Maddie


	8. Losing

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Losing

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Running. She kept running. Her bare feet pounded the sand of the coastline, one hand carrying Emma's shoes and the other wiping away tears that just wouldn't stop coming.

Wait…. this was all so familiar. As if Cleo had been here before, seen the same places, felt the same feelings, gasped in the same breaths. It was a bit like déjà vu- no, it was exactly déjà vu.

She was dreaming again. Somehow she just knew. But why was she dreaming? She didn't remember anything after running. She didn't remember getting in bed, laying down, drifting off to sleep…

She didn't remember any of it.

**xXx**

Lewis was freaking out. He twisted his hands while pacing around the room nervously. Gradually he slowed and calmed himself enough to sit down. He looked up from the ground and saw the look of confusion on Zane's face.

"It's Emma. A woman said she found her collapsed on the ground unconscious." Lewis explained. Suddenly Zane understood. He knew how close he was with the three of them.

"Where are they?" Zane asked. He wasn't really the caring type, but he knew he'd want someone to help him, had someone Zane cared about been in the same situation.

"They- they're thirty miles up the coast." Lewis stated. Zane let out one of those impressed whistles.

"Did she swim there? That's a long way." Zane said. He couldn't imagine running, OR swimming that far.

"No, the woman said she was drenched in sweat. She would have been dry if she swam." Lewis said.

"Hm. Why would she run that far? I don't know Emma very well but-"

"Yeah, you don't. This is unlike her, but if she did something this extreme, she must've been trying to escape from something very hard."

"Are you saying I was right? They're all not acting themselves, right?" Zane's left eyebrow raised and the corners of his mouth turned up.

"I'm not saying anything. I just need to gather the girls and get their help." Lewis said.

"Wait. Why don't you let me do that? Then you can already start heading up there." Zane said. While Lewis was driving up to the situation with Emma, he could get the girls' help and also ask them what's going on. Lewis may be blind, but Zane was not.

"Yeah, yeah, good thinking. But Zane, be fast." Lewis said before heading out the door.

"Don't worry, mate. I will be." Zane said under his breath, even though Lewis was already gone.

**xXx**

Rikki, who still looked like Cleo, was with Emma, who still looked like Rikki, at Cleo's house. They were sprawled out on Cleo's bed downing ice cream fudge bars and flipping through magazines.

"I wonder where Cleo is. I haven't heard from her in a few hours." Rikki said. Lick. "Mmm. These are so yummy."

"Yeah, this isn't like her." Lick. "She usually always texts back when I try to reach her." Emma said.

"Maybe she just wants some alone time." Rikki said, shrugging her shoulders.

"Yeah, maybe-" suddenly Emma's head jerked up and she got a blank stare. "Oh no."

"What? What's happening?" Rikki said. She looked at Emma. "Hello?" Emma was unresponsive. She started waving her hands in her face. "Emma… Rikki?" it felt weird to call someone else her own name. Strange as it was, she had almost gotten used to looking at herself from Cleo's point of view. Almost.

"Today is my birthday." Emma said.

"What? So she's opening all your presents. Eating all your cake. So?" Rikki said, finishing off another fudge bar.

"You don't understand. Gilbert birthdays are… might I say one of a kind." Emma said.

"Hm. Okay, yup, you're right, I don't understand. What are you talking about?" Rikki said.

Emma sat up. "Well. Elliot, Dad, and Mum wake me up at the crack of dawn basically. Not that I ever minded, but Cleo…"

"Ugh. Yeah, I get it." Rikki said.

"No there's more. Mum always takes me out to some weird new mother daughter activity every year. Last year she took me to Blazin' Glaze to paint our own miniature dog statues." Emma had a look of horror while Rikki only started to grin hugely.

"It's not funny!" Emma said. "It's the thought that counts."

"Mhm, yep, I'm sure. So basically, she has to go through some torture. Cleo can handle that." Rikki said.

"Yeah I guess…" suddenly Rikki's phone rang. By habit, Rikki(as Cleo) reached out to grab it. Seeing the caller ID, she smiled and picked it up.

"Hi Zane." Rikki said.

"Oh Cleo, good, you're with Rikki. Um, can you guys come meet me at the JuiceNet? There's been a bit of a situation with Emma." Rikki heard from the other line. She looked at Emma with raised brows.

"Yeah, sure." Rikki said before hanging up.

"What is going on?" Emma asked, seeing Rikki's expression.

"Zane said something's off with Em- I mean Cleo." Rikki said.

"Oh no, I knew it. Hurry, we need to know what's wrong." Emma started walking down the stairs, not waiting for Rikki.

**xXx**

About forty five minutes later, Lewis was walking up to the hospital address the woman gave him on the phone. She said she couldn't stay because she had to go to work, but she'd drop her off here.

Lewis was slightly worried. She didn't like the idea of paramedics poking around Emma. If they found anything out…

Lewis tried not to think about that. Instead, he wondered how he would be able to visit her. Hospitals usually only let family visit.

It only took Lewis a few minutes to know he guessed right. Of course, if they didn't know who she was, he could just say she was his sister.

"But she _is_ family. I'm her brother." Lewis said.

"Really? Oh then could you give us some information on her? A name? Address? Phone number maybe?" The receptionist started shooting off questions.

"Um, I'd love to! But, really, I just want to see her right now. What's her room number?"

"106…" The receptionist looked unsure.

"Thanks." And with that he started walking.

**xXx**

"Zane, what's up with Emma?" Rikki said.

"First, tell me what's up with you." Zane said, looking at Emma, who of course, looked like his girlfriend.

"What?" Emma said, glancing a confused look to Rikki.

"Look, Rikki, what is going on? You've acted weird before, but… I mean, you all are acting so strange. Please tell me what's going on." Zane said softly.

Rikki would have giggled had she not been so stressed. Emma looked like she was freaking out. If only she could tell Emma what she would have said. Emma didn't look like she had a clue.

So Rikki took it up in her own hands. "Look, Zane, we'd love to tell you, but we need to know what's going on with Emma."

Zane looked surprised at "Cleo's" straightforward response.

"We're waiting." Rikki said.

Zane sighed. "Lewis said someone called him about her. She's thirty miles up the coast… in a hospital."

"Are you serious?" Rikki's jaw dropped and Emma's eyes got wide.

"I can take you there. Come on." Zane did want to know what was up, but he knew Rikki and Cleo deserved to see Emma.

**xXx**

"Emma. Emma." Lewis whispered. He made sure there weren't any doctors around before coming in.

Whoa. He saw a lot of machines in there, and he didn't like it.

Hm. this was the first story. And there was a window…

**xXx**

Cleo was feeling very groggy. Her eyes wanted to open so badly. But she just couldn't do it…

**xXx**

Lewis knew he had to get Emma as far away from the hospital as possible. He set Emma in his dad's (borrowed) car in the passenger seat. He thought he should call Zane and tell them not to come up.

"Hey Zane. Yeah, I found her. Are you with Cleo and Rikki? Yeah… you need to go back home. Thanks anyways."

"Lewis." A voice said his name. Whoa, what?

"Emma?!" Lewis said. He pulled over on the side of the road.

He saw her cry. "Don't call me that. Please, Lewis, don't call me Emma."

Now he was a bit confused. "Are you alright Emma?"

She started screaming and bursting in sobs. "I'm not Emma! Lewis! I said don't call me Emma!" she just kept crying. She looked so scared.

He figured he better keep driving. Whatever was wrong with Emma, it would be better sorted at home.

**xXx **

She wished he would know who she was. She was so scared, so worried. She had no idea what was going on. She needed reassurance that she didn't have.

The game was over, and she knew who lost.

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Keep reading!

Maddie


	9. Almost

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Almost

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Of all the nights to deal with a full moon.

Lewis parked in front of Emma's house. He knew her parents would be worried. Even though the car was off, he was still sitting there. He had no idea what he would do, what he would say. He looked at Emma beside him. She was sleeping softly. That hissy fit she threw obviously made her tired.

"Emma. I wish I knew what to do. This isn't like me you know. I always know what to do. And I do it. Or I fail miserably trying." Lewis said. Of course, he was really talking to himself.

It was only about five thirty. The moon rose in an hour and a half.

God knows why Lewis did this. But he found himself turning the key and starting the car. Next thing he knew he was breaking the speed limit and driving to find Cleo.

He might have been delusional under stress. Maybe he wanted her help. He wouldn't ever fully understand why he knocked on her door that night.

**xXx**

Cleo sat up swiftly, after she felt something very cold on her forehead. She opened her eyes to a startled Lewis and a girl that looked exactly like her.

That's when she screamed.

"Would you be quiet, you'll scare your parents." Rikki said. This caused Lewis to look at her questionably.

"What? Her parents?" Lewis raised his eyebrows.

Cleo breathed in sighed heavily, slowly. She needed to process this. She was sitting in her bed. But the image in front of her defied reason.

Then she remembered what happened. Like a flash, it all came back. Getting wet at the salon. Collapsing after trying to escape. That awful dream. Crying in front of Lewis. Falling asleep in the car.

They were like pieces to a story. Her story, and what a pitiful one it was. She knew what she needed to do. Lewis didn't deserve the secrecy anymore. She had been so stupid.

"Can you give us a minute?" She looked at the perfect stranger in front of her that used to be herself.

Rikki went to wait on the staircase.

**Earlier…xXx**

"Sucks that we drove all that way for nothing." Rikki said.

"Yeah." Emma said. Zane was silent. She started walking away, but she felt him grab her wrist.

"Wait. You guys still need to tell me what's going on." He looked at Emma, ignoring Rikki. This drove her crazy of course. She would have told him the truth right then, right there if she was feeling weak enough.

"Uh." Emma looked dumbfounded. Rikki, despite the fact of being neglected, was kind of enjoying it. Rikki had never seen Emma so frazzled as she had been this past week.

"Zane, let's take a walk." Emma said, looking at Rikki. She was asking if it would bother Rikki with her eyes. Rikki nodded as if saying it was okay with her.

"And, don't put your arm around me." She shrugged him off gently. "Sorry. You'll understand soon enough." Emma said.

Zane had a feeling he didn't know what he was getting into.

**xXx**

_One last chance to reverse this curse,  
You stole my heart but I had it first.  
And now I see you've got something to prove,  
And nothing to lose, so let me tell you the truth._

**Normal time xXx**

Cleo was sitting up in her bed, sipping some water that seemed to instantly make her feel better. She didn't have a straw, so she was extra careful about being still.

She set the cup down on her nightstand. "Lewis. I really should be clear with you about something." Cleo was feeling nervous. Her heart started pounding. She needed to breath heavily just to calm herself.

**Earlier…xXx **

Emma was walking with her head high, as usual. Always so serious and confident. Her silence was testing Zane's patience. Emma was walking in front of him, and didn't seem to have any intention of talking. She had a thinking look. Of course, he still thought she was Rikki, so he wasn't used to the silence. At least, not this kind.

"Rikki." Zane said when he could stand it no longer. "What's going on?" He stopped.

Emma stopped walking too. She hadn't been walking fast, but she was keeping her distance, almost enough that it was noticeable. She turned ever so slowly, breathing deeply and feeling the ocean mist. The clarity and blue hue of the water. The frothy waves dancing along the sand. She took it all in, and tried to be at peace.

"The truth is, Zane- I don't owe you the explanation. I'm not the one who'd lean in to you while I confided in you so you could hug me. Truthfully, I'm not even sure we're friends. And I know everything I'm saying is confusing you beyond belief, so what I do owe you is a trip to the Sertori's house, where everything can get straightened out." Emma said finally, turning back around and heading to Cleo's house.

Emma was right. Zane was so confused, he had to stand there for a second with an upturned brow while he was thinking things through.

"Well? You coming?" Emma said expectantly.

"Yeah…" Zane had half a mind to stop Rikki and demand answers. But his curiosity got the best of him, and he followed her to the Sertori's.

Lucky for them, they just missed the full moon, which rose in about ten minutes.

**Normal time xXx **

"The truth is I'm not really Em-" Cleo started saying. But just as she started to say _it_, Zane burst into her room, followed by Rikki. Well, actually Cleo knew it was Emma.

Picture this. You are about to finally do the thing you've always wanted. Maybe it's sing and win your school's talent show. Maybe it's to finally ask your crush to a dance. Whatever the case, picture a curtain accidentally falling over your face on your opening note. Or someone suddenly sweeping the person of your dreams off their feet and out of your midst.

Now you know how Cleo felt. She had this adrenaline bubbling up inside, and suddenly, just before it was about to spill over like Niagara Falls, someone built a dam.

"Zane, what are you doing?" Cleo said.

"Oh hey Emma." Zane said. "Where's Cleo? Rikki's looking for her."

Cleo shot a death glare at Emma. She wanted to scream, _I am Cleo! And I was going to tell a very important someone before you just crushed my moment, thank you very much!_

"But, we see she's not in here, so we'll just get out of your hair!" In no way did Emma not see the look Cleo was giving her. She was out of there very very fast to say the least.

"Um. I-" Emma didn't know what to do. Where was Rikki?

"What are you guys doing here?" As if she had read her mind, Rikki appeared from the kitchen, relieving Emma drastically. "I would have thought you'd be walking."

"Uh, yeah," Emma walked up to Rikki and started speaking quietly. "Well I really needed to see you. I can't do this. You have to. I mean, no offense, but Zane…" Emma trailed off.

"Drives you nuts? I get it. Well, he doesn't do it to me but everybody else seems to kind of be repulsed…" Rikki said.

Emma patted Rikki on the back and walked away.

**xXx**

"So. You're saying that, because of the full moon…" Lewis was thinking ten miles a minute.

"Hello. My name is Cleo Sertori. Those girls down there, who look like me and Rikki? They're really Emma and, well Rikki. But we're all basically not ourselves." Cleo said. It felt tremendously good to let this all out.

While (apparently)Cleo had been telling him this, there was one event that was repeatedly flashing through his mind.

"So. Between the last full moon and now, you… you've been someone else." Lewis said. His eyes were still a bit blank.

"Yes." She looked at him and slipped her hand in his.

"Cleo, you know, I still have a girlfriend." Lewis said.

"Oh, yeah, right, sorry." She quickly pulled her hand back, embarrassed. "I just really need a friend right now. One who doesn't have my face or my power."

"Get out. You guys switched powers too?" Lewis looked at her this time, instead of the floor.

She smiled. "Yeah." When she rested her head on his shoulder, he didn't resist.

**xXx**

"Cleo's upstairs? And Rikki is…" Zane was more confused now than ever.

"Right here. That girl you've been staring at all this time? Not really me. But that's okay." She leaned into him while she let him hug her.

"It just feels so weird." Zane said, whispering in her ear.

"Don't worry. No one cares. I'm your girlfriend, remember?" She said.

"Yes, but my girlfriend looks exactly like Cleo Sertori." Zane added.

Rikki giggled while stroking his hand with hers. For once, she could laugh about this situation. So much pressure had escaped from her.

All this happened while Emma watched in the dark kitchen. Yes, she was spying. But it wouldn't be the first time. Remembering that day in the JuiceNet, she smiled. Everything was almost right. Almost.

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Hope you enjoyed,

Maddie.

PS: this isn't the end, lol!


	10. The Flood

hey guys! sorry that I haven't updated in a few weeks; I recently went on one long vacation! but I'm back, and so is this story. enjoy!

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The Flood

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"You know, the moon's going to rise any second." Lewis said, causing Cleo to sit up straight very abruptly.

"Lewis! Oh, no. My house isn't ready at all! The windows aren't covered, Zane's here, and…" Cleo let her voice trail off. She remembered what happened last time. And she wondered how it related to now.

"Lewis, the moon… do you think it would change us back to normal?" Cleo asked.

"What? Cleo, that's not an option. I'm not feeding you three to the lion den known as the Moon Spell." Lewis crossed his arms.

"But… it could. And Lewis," Cleo started snuggling back to his shoulder, "I'm scared."

Lewis felt awkward. "Cleo, I can't do this right now. I can't deal with three crazed mermaids. Speaking of, since you obviously didn't know what today was, I'm doubting the others did either." With that, Lewis got up from Cleo's bed, leaving her alone.

xXx

Emma slid to the floor. So, Rikki was happy. Cleo was happy. But the only thing she got was sitting alone on a dark kitchen floor. She was getting kid of depressed.

Lewis saw Cleo- er, Rikki- and Zane first. He warned them about tonight, and tried to not stare at Rikki. If the Cleo from a while ago was really Rikki, then…

"Oh, no. That's tonight? This can't be happening." Rikki said.

"Well, it is. I need a computer." Lewis said, looking at Rikki expectantly.

"Over there on the table." Rikki pointed to the kitchen.

Lewis didn't say anything else–_Thank you, Lewis?_ Rikki thought- he was focused on the moon, and what Cleo said. Of course, he wasn't going to even consider letting them look at the moon, but he wondered if there could be any truth to Cleo's theory.

But before he was able to sit down and get online, he noticed a dark shadow next to him out of the corner of his eye.

He turned slowly. "Rikki?" Lewis asked.

"Forgetting something?" "Rikki" raised her eyebrows expectantly.

"Emma, sorry. What are you doing?" Lewis said.

"Nothing." Emma got up from the ground. "Just getting some alone time."

"Okay, well don't go outside." Lewis said.

"Yeah, I heard." Emma said, before exiting the kitchen.

xXx

"Guys, you'll never believe what I found." Lewis said, walking into the living room. He saw everyone sitting around. The girls were playing with their thumbs nervously. They glanced up attentively, though, when Lewis started talking.

"This is one really creepy moonspell trick. But, if you want to try it-" Lewis was interrupted.

"Give it to us, we'll try anything." Rikki said, ready to be herself again.

"Okay… well… where are the knives?" Lewis said, which caused everyone in the room to look at him like he was a mad scientist.

Lewis sighed. "A myths website mentioned your situation. It happens to everything that gets moonstruck. Of course, it meant werewolves, but-" Lewis was babbling.

"Alright, Lewis, we get it. What did it say?" Rikki said.

"Oh, right. It said you had to, well, prick your thumbs and press them together while standing under open moonlight." If anyone had held back any expression before, all doubts of Lewis's craziness melted away.

"Guys. I didn't used to believe in this stuff. I realize it sounds a little gruesome, but really, how bad could it be?" Lewis said.

Cleo, Rikki, and Emma thought of just how many bad things could happen.

Seeing no change of expression, Lewis tried a different approach. "Emma. Don't you want to be with Ash again?"

That did it for her.

"And Cleo, aren't you getting kind of sick of being a Gilbert?" Lewis said.

Of course, that hit the nail on the head for Cleo.

"Rikki." It was hard to thing of something for her. Luckily, he didn't need an excuse.

"Lewis, you don't have to say anything. You may be psychotic, but I was ready from the start." Rikki said.

"Okay then. Let's do it." Lewis said. He didn't want to let them be moon targets, but Cleo wasn't going to let this go. He knew her.

xXx

Cleo was a little nervous. Blood tended to make her nauseous.

They were outside, the three girls with their backs to the rising moon.

Rikki was first. She volunteered, knowing Cleo would have fainted and Emma would have been so grossed out she'd have quit on the spot.

Rikki breathed in quickly. Not a lot of pain, but enough to feel it.

Emma was next. She tried not to think that this felt like a cheesy horror movie.

Cleo was the last to go. She looked as far away from her thumbs as possible. She pressed her right thumb to Rikki's and left to Emma's.

Lewis noticed the moon becoming daringly close to the middle of the sky. He had a gut feeling about this. But he didn't know if it was bad or good.

Cleo, Rikki, and Emma slowly raised their heads to the sky. The moon was in their line of sight, and it took over their minds.

Lewis knew he wouldn't be able to interfere now. Relief spread over him as he saw the girls stay still, and not run for the ocean.

Cleo blinked. She still felt a little in control. _The moon must not be very strong tonight_, she thought.

Rikki, Cleo, and Emma were still slightly aware of reality, but they were in their own world. None of them noticed Zane and Lewis standing nearby. None of them felt a need to.

Suddenly, that world turned upside down. Rikki felt the pull of the moon, and her body seemed to belong to it. As more and more pent up emotion became present, she felt like she was on fire.

_Fire! Fire! That's my power! _a small inkling of Rikki that the moon left alone shouted inside of her.

But then things got cool. Looking next to her, Rikki saw Emma's eyes glaze.

Emma's whole body seemed to erupt with an icy feeling. The comfort of herself came flooding in. And that's what it literally felt like. A flood. Like water covering something… dry.

Then, it felt like time stopped. The blood from their thumbs seemed to pulsate. Cleo was feeling power enter her. _Her_ power, not Rikki's.

At that moment, just as so much energy thrived between them, energy left them. They fell back, the moon's pull leaving them.

Lewis and Zane were startled at the three girls lying below them. Before Lewis could start hyperventilating, Cleo tried to get up, relieving him.

He rushed over to her. "Cleo?"

She tried to smile, though she was afraid it came across kind of scary. "Lewis." She started to go limp, but Lewis held her.

Zane was already kneeling beside Rikki. Her eyes were open. She got up, leaning into him, resting her head on his shoulder. He held her in his arms, her knees over his left arm, and her back rested on his right arm.

Lewis wanted to hug Cleo more, but he knew he couldn't leave Emma alone. They were all asleep.

"You know, as far as moonspells go, I think my favorite is the one where they all calmly fall asleep." Lewis said to no one in particular. The only one else awake was Zane, and although his help was appreciated, Lewis knew this didn't really change anything.

Even so, Zane laughed lightly and glanced down at Rikki. She looked at peace, and he was glad.

xXx

"It felt like a flood." was the first thing Rikki said when she was awake, startling Zane. She was still in his arms, and he had fallen asleep on the right side of the Sertori's couch. Cleo was in her bed upstairs, and Lewis had dozed off next to him. Emma was across the living room on a recliner.

"Zane. I missed you." Rikki was happy Zane didn't have to feel weird anymore. Everything was normal again.

Zane smiled, leaning down enough to kiss her lightly. It wasn't hard and hungry…. just nice. A loving kiss.

He looked over at the clock on the kitchen counter. It was nine o'clock.

Whoa. He was insanely glad it was a Saturday morning and also glad Lewis had remembered get Cleo to call Emma and Rikki's parents telling them they were spending the night at hers, before they did anything.

Rikki sat up, wanting more. She hadn't been able to kiss Zane in a month. She felt tingly, remembering how much she missed this.

"Gross." Emma's eyes squinted at the morning sunlight.

"Emma!" Rikki practically jumped off the couch to run over to her. She hugged her, not caring that Emma had just caught her in make out session.

"Emma, you're you again. Remember?" Rikki said.

Emma looked confused for a second, and then she remembered.

She gasped. She was her again! She walked out the door, turning her head to tell Rikki where she was going. Well, really, the only thing she said was "Ash" but Rikki knew what it meant.

Rikki decided to go upstairs and see if Cleo was awake.

xXx

Emma knew where he was. The JuiceNet was open, and Ash was sure to be there.

She walked through the beaded curtains. Seeing Ash, she smiled.

"Hey Emm-" Ash's words were stopped by Emma's lips. "Wow. Well hi to you too."

Emma giggled. Everything felt so perfect now.

xXx

Cleo, Lewis, Rikki, and Zane were sitting around the Sertori's tv, flipping channels and making fun of the dumbest shows.

It felt good to be normal again.

But there was still something bugging Lewis. He couldn't really help it when he suddenly blurted:

"So, Rikki, am I good kisser?"

Cleo coughed in the middle of chewing her popcorn, and Rikki's eyes turned into saucers.

"What?" Zane and Cleo said at the same time.

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haha. the next chapter will be the final one. bye guys.


	11. Looking Back On All Of That

agh. okay. I feel like that last chapter was awful. The worst thing I've written. Ever. it was rushed, and tell me if I should rewrite it. I'd hate for the second to last chapter to suck.

Hmm. I wanted to update again. Finish the story. I rarely ever do two chapters in two days, but I wanted to finish :D

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Looking Back On All Of That…

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Rikki sat there, motionless. She didn't even remember that day until Lewis had to bring it up.

Why, though? He probably just wanted an explanation. But, here, now? For the first time she could think of, she didn't know what to say.

But then Lewis started laughing. Zane and Cleo still stared at her.

"I think she did it to start a fight with me and Charlotte." Lewis said.

"You're fighting?" Cleo looked away from Rikki and focused on Lewis.

"You kissed him?" Zane was obviously still stuck on this.

"Uh….." the corners of Rikki's mouth moved downward nervously……..

…

Rikki gasped, sitting up straight. It was dark. Where was she? She tried to recognize her surroundings in the darkness as much as she could.

_I'm sitting in Cleo's room._ It dawned on her. She looked at the windows. They were sealed with cardboard and masking tape.

No way. That was _not_ a dream. It felt too real. She shook Emma in her sleeping bag next to her.

Emma moaned groggily. "Rikki, what? I'm sleeping."

"Not anymore. Did that really happen?" Rikki said.

"If you mean waking me up, then duh." Emma was obviously annoyed.

No way.

It _did_ happen, didn't it? It felt so real…

Rikki flopped back into her pillow, remembering her iPod ear buds were still in. She looked at the screen scoldingly. "No more screamo at midnight."

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Well, there we go. An end to my first completed story. Short chapter, I know.

Here's a little something extra for everyone who read this.

xXx

"Hey Em, I got your message-"

"AAAAAAAAAASH!" Emma was like an excited puppy, running towards him than springing into a hug that made them land on the ground.

"Hannah Montana?" Ash asked, confused.

"What?" Emma said. Suddenly, she caught a glimpse of herself in the glass door.

Her mouth dropped.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Emma screamed.

"Aghhhhh!" Emma shot up in her sleeping back. She started feeling her face.

_Oh. It was a dream. _

(Now you know that if Emma had a recurring nightmare, that would be it. When I saw He Could Be The One, I had to do this :D. No meanness intended, I love Miley Cyrus and Hannah Montana!)

xXx

Well, that's the last of it! Thanks to everyone who reviewed-

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and thanks for following the story! bye!

Maddie Loves Cows


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